I fled with my family a week or so ago to the East. At least, with those that believed me when I told them it was coming. It was inevitable. I knew it was. I knew it was something that would get out of control.

I never imagined how terrible it would become.

Now, we are no longer safe out here. There has been sightings and there has been death. They are fortifying the village now, but we don't know how much more we can hold. Some believe that we've killed the contaminated and that it's over for now-- but most are not willing to take any more chances.

I don't want to just hide here forever.

I made contact with friends back in America and Europe, and they are not doing so well. I promised some of them that I'll get people together and create a rescue team and patrol. Our resources aren't lacking here, but now I'm not sure it'll be enough... it may be enough to save some, but we will never save the whole world. It kills me to think of all the people I may have to give up on. I can't think like this!

I'll have to talk to the others. We have to make a plan. I'm not sure if I am strong enough to go out there.They gave me a gun, and I'm scared to death of the moment I have to use it. One mistake can cost us all...

I recently saw Wicked in London. I had read the book several years ago and had been given the soundtrack by a friend. Trying to work out the plot of the musical in relation to the songs was interesting. I realised very quickly that lots had changed from the book, but I was ok with that, as I hadn't been thrilled with how the book had ended (even though I knew part of it was inevitable, it was how the author handled the inevitable.) At any rate, I really fell in love with the songs and wanted to go see it properly.

I hadn't been to see a musical in a long time. I used to work in theatre so more often than not I was working the musical rather than seeing it. So, watching it properly was in itself an interesting experience.

The set design was really interesting. It was sort of a frame, with a large mechanical dragon at the top (No, there is no dragon in the play or in Oz at any point in any book, but it looked cool.) Then kind of gears and metal work down the sides with rope lights intertwined. The rest of the sets were generally minimal, but that was ok. It didn't need to be overly complex, it worked better with the simplicity of the original Oz story.

Now, as soon as the musical started, it was clear that you need to view it as an entirely different entity to the book. It has practically nothing but names in common with the book. It's one of the more interesting interpretations really. Bear in mind, the book Wicked is an interpretation of a children's book. The musical is an interpretation of an interpretation, and in some ways comes full circle and becomes more like a fairy tale of the original story.

It has the mixture of the book turning the original Oz world on it's head and looking at it differently, but it gets rid of the darker side that Gregory Maguire wrote about. It's also added greater depth to some of the relationships than there ever were in the book.

What I think is the final interesting point is that it is truly a musical reflective of the time it was written in. So many of its themes are about political themes current today. It is, in many ways, an allegory, but a well done allegory. It's not subtle, but it's not a hammer to the head either.

I'm not going to give away the plot, because I think everyone should go see it. Yeah, so it's only in London right now, but if it ever comes your way, go see it. It seems simple on the surface, but look a bit deeper and go down the rabbit hole. Or tornado, whatever.

We are self-proclaimed girl-GEEKS who needed a place to write about it! We don't really do anything special with our lives, but we do enjoy the occasional comic book or fantasy film. Also, the occasional pie. With ice cream. Yeah. Ice cream.